Commercial towers in the City of London have traditionally prioritised workspace efficiency over civic presence. The proposed 85 Gracechurch Street, however, approaches the office building as part of the public realm.
Designed by Woods Bagot for developer Hertshten Properties, the project was named Best New Development at the MIPIM Awards 2026.
The tower occupies a sensitive site beside Leadenhall Market, one of the City’s historic trading centres. During archaeological investigations, substantial remains of Roman London’s first Basilica were uncovered beneath the site. Rather than treating the discovery as a constraint, the project incorporates it into the building’s public programme.
Archaeology integrated into public space
The remains of the Roman Basilica—once the civic centre of ancient London—have reshaped the project’s internal organisation. Structural elements were repositioned and the basement reconfigured so that the foundations could be preserved and presented to the public.
The result is an archaeological exhibition space beneath the building, where visitors will be able to view the ancient walls through glass floors within a new event room. In a district dominated by financial activity, the intervention introduces a cultural layer that reconnects the site with its earlier civic role.
Extending the public realm of Leadenhall Market
At street level, the development introduces a large public hall designed to continue the sequence of spaces associated with Leadenhall Market. New pedestrian routes pass through the site, strengthening connections between the market and the surrounding streets.
These moves position the tower less as an isolated office block and more as an extension of the existing urban fabric. A publicly accessible heritage garden further reinforces this approach, offering rare open space within the dense commercial environment of the City.
The architectural language also draws cues from the neighbouring market structures. Elements of rhythm, proportion and detailing derived from the Victorian market have been translated into the tower’s contemporary design, allowing the building to engage with its historic context.
Greening the commercial tower
Environmental strategies are another aspect of the project’s public ambition. Landscaped terraces with planting are proposed on every second floor, along with a planted roof terrace. Landscaped terraces with planting are proposed on every second floor, alongside a planted roof terrace, giving the tower a visibly greener profile within the City.
The building is targeting BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, NABERS UK 5 Star, WELL V2 Core ‘Gold’, and an EPC A rating, positioning the project among the more ambitious sustainability initiatives in the City’s commercial sector.
Rethinking the role of the office tower
According to James Taylor, Principal and London Studio Chair at Woods Bagot, the intention was to create a development with a broader civic role.
“85 Gracechurch Street is designed to appeal to and create a diverse community as part of its vision to create a destination with a generous public spirit for generations to come,” James said. “The scheme is an innovative example of how a commercial project with a bold vision and commitment can unlock and create public value.”
By combining workplace space with archaeological interpretation, new public routes and planted terraces, the project suggests a different model for commercial development in the City of London—one in which private buildings also contribute to the public life of the city.
